Business: Phoenix #1 (11 page)

 Casey

I arrive back at Matt’s place after dropping Kate back off
at her house. I realize that I am there before he is and Terri has left. So I
am alone, I head up to the en suite bathroom in his bedroom and start the
shower.

I start to take my clothes off and I don’t know what
overcomes me, but suddenly I’m snooping in his bedroom. At first I try to
convince myself I just want to know his size, so I can buy him a gift, but deep
down I know that isn’t the truth. I look in his bedside cabinet drawer which is
full of numerous objects – condoms, bottle openers, random paperwork and then
an envelope. I know it is wrong but I take a look inside and realize there are
three photographs. I look at the first one, a very young looking Matt, I’m
guessing at around 18 years old has his arm around a dark haired girl, she is
very pretty. Not slim but not fat, a nice size and they both look extremely
happy. The next two photos are very similar just in different places – young
Matt and the same dark haired female. One of the photos they are grinning at
each other and look very much in love. Who is this mystery woman? He’s kept the
photos, so she must have been special.

I hear the door open downstairs and assume it is him so I
put the photographs back into the envelope and close the drawer. I hurry into
the bathroom and prepare for the shower. I just step into the shower as I hear
him enter the bedroom.

“Case?” He calls out.

“I’m in here!” I announce and it’s not long until he is
standing in the doorway of the bathroom. He has taken his suit jacket off and
is undoing his tie. His eyes scan up and down my body hungrily.

“Can I help?” I ask with a wink.

“Oh yes you can…” He growls and throws his tie into the
room behind him; I shake my head and laugh, my eyes never leaving his face.
“After the shower, get dressed because we’re going out.” He says.

Going out? I was planning on us sitting down and
discussing what is actually going on between the two of us. I want to know what
is happening with Melissa and the situation with Jess. I want to know if there
are any more women on the scene and most importantly if he is serious about us.

“Going out?” I ask.

“On a date.” He laughs.

He strips fully and I can’t help but admire the Adonis standing
watching me. I swear, he is better than the models they have wearing Calvin Klein’s.
Every inch of him is sculpted to perfection. I marvel at his hard, lean
magnificent form. His broad shoulders, bulging biceps, toned abdomen.  My eyes
make their way down to his well-endowed package. Pubic hair trimmed back to a
good amount. Matt clears his throat and my eyes are suddenly back on his face.
His handsome features shifted into a devilish knowing grin as he caught me
staring.

“A date? Where?” I smile and pick up the shower gel off
the side shelf, I begin to wash and I can feel his eyes on me. I pay extra
attention to my breasts and moving my hands down. I hear him let out a sigh of
frustration and then he is behind me in the shower.

“Here, let me help.” His voice is more of a growl now and
I turn to face him. He takes the shower gel bottle from me and begins to wash
me, rubbing my breasts and my nipples, sending sparks through my body. I tip my
head back in pleasure as his hands continue on their journey down.

He rubs his hands over my clit and his mouth is on my
neck. The warmth of the water is now covering both of us.

“Matt.” I moan but he doesn’t listen. His fingers continue
circling my clit and his mouth is now on my jaw line, making his way up until
our lips finally meet. Our kiss is intense and we devour each other. My entire
body shudders when I reach my orgasm and I grip onto his shoulders for
stability as all the bones in my body turn to gelatine.

I look at him and he has that cocky, roguish smile that
drives me insane.

“You, Mr. Jackson, are something else.” I say as a massive
grin takes over my face.

“Oh, I know, sweetheart.” He says with a wink.

We both wash before Matt steps out of the shower and helps
me out. I wrap a fresh white cotton towel around my body as Matt wraps one
around his waist.

Matt is ready when I am just finishing off my makeup. He
looks good. He has opted for a pair of dark denim jeans and a black long
sleeved cotton shirt which fits tightly over his muscular arms and chest. He
tells me he will wait downstairs and leaves the room. I am in total awe of this
man.

He still hasn’t told me where we are going so I opt for my
new black Armani dress I bought today, colour coding springs to mind. I pull on
a black lace thong and realize that I don’t have a strapless bra here, so
decide against wearing one all together, that should be a nice surprise for him
later. I pull the dress over my head and study myself in the mirror. The dress
fits me like a glove. Showing my curves off perfectly.

I quickly run my hand through my freshly straightened hair
to create natural looking waves and smile at myself in the mirror. I look and
feel great. I spray on a little perfume and slip my black heels on. I look at
my watch – 6:35pm.

Matt is watching me as I make my way down the staircase.
His eyes running up and down my body numerous times.

I stop when I am inches away from him and give him a
slight smile. “Are you going to tell me where you are taking me?”

He shakes his head. “Nah. You’ll just have to wait and
see.” He takes my hand and we head outside the door which Matt locks. Hand in
hand we make out way over to the Porsche. He holds the passenger side door open
for me and once I am in he gets in to the driver’s seat.

“I love this car.” I tell him.

He looks at me wide eyed before turning back to
concentrate on the road ahead of us. “Do you? I thought it would be a
little…fast for you.” Slight arrogance in his voice.

“I like going fast.” I laugh.

Matt drives fast. I watch as he operates the speed
machine, I watch as one hand rests effortlessly on the wheel whilst the other
switches gears. I can see his muscles clenching underneath the tight fitting
shirt.

He parks the car and I turn to look out the window to see
where we are. We are at the side of a huge building but I can’t see any signs.
I look at Matt questioningly and he grins.

“What the…?” Is all I say.

“We are at a movie theatre.” He explains. “Kate told me
you wanted to see that 50 Shades of Grey. So I booked us a VIP box.”

~~~~~

The theatre is extremely busy and I had forgotten all
about Matt’s ‘celebrity’ status over here. As soon as we step inside there are
tons of women staring at him open mouthed. He takes my hand and we head over to
the prebooked ticket station
w
here a young
attendant can’t help but stare at Matt as she serves us. She hands Matt our tickets
and directs us to an elevator which takes us up to the private VIP bar.

There aren’t very many people in the bar, us, another
couple and four women.

“What would you like to drink?” Matt asks me as a waiter
approaches us.

“White wine, please.” I smile.

“Can we have a bottle of white wine, one glass. And
scotch, neat please.” Matt asks handing the waiter a note. The waiter nods his
head before retrieving our order and we both thank him.

“Are you trying to get me drunk?” I joke once the waiter
leaves us.

“I think we both know you don’t have to be drunk for me to
have my way.” He says with a sly grin as he takes a drink of his whiskey.

An attendant comes over to us and directs us to our VIP
box. We are right at the back of the theatre in a private room with six black
leather reclining chairs. We watch everybody entering the theatre but they
can’t see us as there is privacy glass.

I take a seat on the middle chair and cross my legs. Matt
sits beside me and places the bottle of wine in the holder between us.

“Thank you for all of this, Matt. It’s perfect.” I watch
him take another drink as he watches people fill the theatre before he turns to
face me.

 “I’ve heard women loved the book, so I just thought we
could get some ideas,” He says playfully.

I furrow my brow and playfully hit his bicep. “Oh behave!”

Matt tips his head back and laughs. “It was worth a shot.”

We sit in silence as we wait for the movie to begin; I
wonder what he is thinking. Is he thinking of me, of us? Or is he thinking of
somebody totally different? Melissa, Jess, another woman? I can’t take no more.

“Matt…” I say and his attention is back on me, he searches
my face. “I think we need to talk…”

“Okay, shoot.”

“Well… I need to know what is happening with Jess… and
Melissa?” I say, my voice low so nobody can hear us, I don’t know why because
we are completely alone.

His facial expression changes from calm and collected to
frustration and I worry that I have over stepped the mark.

“Nothing is happening with Jess.” He states. “And Melissa
is just a friend.”

Just a friend? Kate told me they were something more than
that, but I don’t want to drop her into deep water by admitting she told me. I
think back to the day in James’s office. “When James and Grace spoke about her
they referred to her as ‘girlfriend’”

His face impassive as he speaks. “We are just friends.”

“For some reason Matt, I don’t think you are telling me
the entire truth.”

He stands and puts his hands to his head. “You are so
frustrating Casey, do you know that?”

I don’t respond. I just watch him as he puts his hands on
the privacy glass.

“I was fucking her.” He says.

“Was?” I ask.

“Was.” He confirms. He hasn’t turned to face me; he is
still standing at the privacy glass.

“When was the last time…”

“Before I met you.” He responds instantly.

“And you haven’t been with her since?” I probe. When he
remains silent, my heart begins to pump through my chest and I start to panic.
“Have you fucked her since we have known each other?” My voice is demanding.

He nods curtly. “Once. When I first came back to Cali. I
didn’t expect you to come over. I’m sorry. I wish I hadn’t. If I had known you
were coming, that you were even considering it…”His voice trails off.

I feel as though he has taken a bite of me, chewed and
then spat me back out. I put my head in my hands. I feel betrayed all that time
I was miserable because I missed him and was beating myself up he slept with
another woman? The woman who was watching me the first day I got here. But, I
can’t feel anything else, because we weren’t exactly together.

I feel Matt sit back on the chair beside me; I raise my
head and meet his remorseful eyes.

“And you promise you haven’t done anything since I have
been here?” I ask, even though I know the answer.

“Yes, you know that.”

“So why was Melissa in your office? Why was she waiting
for you in reception the first day I was in Cali?”

“We were supposed to go to lunch. When I first saw you in
my office, I couldn’t wait to touch you, to hold you. You consume my thoughts,
my mind. She was just a distraction.” He answers sincerely and I believe him.
“What are we, Matt?” I ask next.

The lights dim as the screen lights up and the
advertisements start to roll. Matt reaches across and puts his hand on top of
mine, “We’re together.” He says looking at the screen.

“Are we a couple?”

“Yes.”
He confirms as he turns to look into my eyes.

Casey

“I
haven’t got anything to wear!” I whine once I complete my hair and makeup, I
opted for natural looking waves I created with my straighteners and glamorous
looking makeup, completed with the smoky eye effect.

“Are
you sure?” Matt smirks.

“Well
you are going suited and booted. I have nothing like that here.”

“I
like what you are wearing now.” He teases. I glance down at my tank top and pyjama
shorts, put my hands on my hips and shake my head at him. “Alright, come here.”

He
takes my hand as he leads me to a bedroom at the far end of the hallway. There
are numerous boxes stacked up on top of each other – some big, some small. He
leads me to the closet and opens the door. There are four dresses hanging.

“What
the ?” I ask as I take everything in.

“Grace
and Kate wanted to make sure you had a good choice so I just gave them my
credit card and let them get on with things.” He shrugs like it is no big deal,
but I know for a fact the garments won’t be cheap.

“Thank
you!” I grin and kiss him on the cheek. The height difference between us
apparent when I don’t have heels on, so I have to boost myself by balancing on
my toes.

When
Matt leaves me to continue getting dressed I search through the boxes which
contain beautiful shoes, bags and accessories.

I
step into my black Chanel dress and Jimmy Choos before fixing my hair one last
time. I add some tiffany earrings and bracelet. The dress is elegant and I
don’t want to ruin the look by adding too much jewellery so I keep it plain and
simple.

“You
look beautiful, Casey.” Matt is standing in the doorway and my eyes meet his in
the mirror. I give him a small, shy smile as the butterflies in my stomach
start to flutter and my heart starts racing as I look at him in his black tuxedo.

~~~~~

The
two charities supported are called Cash for Children and Beat Cancer. The first
was created to support less fortunate families with children. The money donated
would be shared between numerous families so they are able to buy clothes, toys
and learning equipment. The second was to help raise money and awareness of
people living with cancer. To help pay for medical bills and it instantly
reminds me of Joshua, the little guy Phoenix corps supported.

Matt holds his arm out and looks at me.

“Do you think you are able to behave yourself tonight?” I
put my arm in his and smile.

“I can’t make any promises.”

“Are we strictly professional tonight?” I ask.

He nods. “James hasn’t told anybody. We haven’t spoken
properly yet.”

We walk to the entrance and step inside. The room is
breath taking as were the people who attended. Men wearing suits, women in
expensive dresses. Matt leads us to a table reserved for Jackson Industries. He
finds the place card with his name on and pulls the chair for me I sit; he is
beside me and moves the place card to the side.

I take notice of the beautifully carved ceilings and décor
of the room, the walls are painted a beige colour but the lighting is all
golden. The chairs at each table are mahogany. A dance floor and stage are in
the middle of the room. Off to the side is a large wrap around bar that was
also complimented by the mahogany wood and marble tops.

Matt excuses himself as he goes to the bar to get our
drinks. He didn’t have the patience to wait for the waitress around the room to
come and get our orders.

I find the card he moved from his place which states
‘Melissa’. He was planning on bringing her as his date? Why didn’t he tell me?
What else hasn’t he told me? I bite the inside of my cheek as I torture myself
running through images of the two of them together. The perfect couple. He
handsome, rich and confident, her beautiful, lean and confident. I remember all
the images I found when I was searching for Matt on the internet and I realize
the blonde woman beside him was actually Melissa.  She was the one who attended
high end parties with him, his date.

Grace and James approach the table and I stand to greet
them. Grace looks like she could be a movie star. Her hair brushed in an up do
and her long, elegant neck is modelling a beautiful Tiffany necklace. Her
figure is shown off with a long silver designer gown. James is also wearing a
black tuxedo. He looks good, but not as good as Matt does.

“Casey!
Hi!” Grace hugs me tightly.

“Hey
Grace.” I give her the best smile I can manage.  “How are you?”

“Good!”
She grins. “I’m glad you came. We’re going to have so much fun.”

James holds my hand out to me and I remember that Matt and
I are acting on a strictly professional level tonight. This is fine by me
because I couldn’t think of anything worse than acting ‘lovey dovey’ with him
right now.

“Casey.” James nods his head as I take his hand.

“Hi James.” Is all I say.

Grace sits herself beside me and James spots Matt speaking
to a group of men at the bar. “I’ll be right back.” Is all he says.

Grace watches her husband walk away before turning her
attention back on me. “So. How are things?”

We swap pleasantries for a few moments and Grace gives me
a commentary of everybody who enters the room. Numerous people call over to our
table to say hello to her and Grace does an excellent job including me into
conversations, introducing me as her ‘friend and business partner’ to
everybody. Grace is mid conversation with an older lady when Matt sets a glass
of white wine down in front of me, his usual choice of whiskey in hand.

He lightly grabs my elbow and escorts me over to a couple
who are staring our way.

“Good evening, Matthew.” The older gentleman says as he
shakes his hand.

“Hello
David, Kathryn. I would like you to meet our new business partner, Casey
Phoenix.”

The
man takes my hand and lightly kisses it. “Nice to meet you, Miss Phoenix. You
have a beautiful business partner, Matthew.”

I
gently smile at his compliment and glance over to the woman beside him who is
eyeing me up and down before looking at Matt…Ah another admirer I assume.

“This
is my wife, Kathryn.” David smiles.

“It’s
nice to meet you.” She smiles, but I’m unsure whether or not it is sincere,
there is something about her. Probably the way she looks at Matt like she wants
to take a bite, she probably has.

Kathryn
is attractive and she is around 25 years younger than her husband, I assume she
is around Matt’s age. David wraps an arm around Matt and escorts him over to
the side, whispering so we can’t hear. Matt shakes his head and the two of them
come back to where we are standing looking at each other, trying to suss each
other out.

Matt
nods at Kathryn as he lightly puts his hand on the small of my back and escorts
me back to our table.

“What
was that about?” I ask.

“It’s
just business.” He looks at me strangely for even asking.

“Well,
I am your business partner after all.” I state as we sit back in our places.
Grace, who is in conversation with James and another two couples who are also sitting
at our table, leaving one spare seat beside Matt now.

“It’s
nothing to be concerned about.” He smiles at me before taking another swallow
of his drink.

I
wonder if he is being completely honest with me, about women and in general. I
have put my heart on my sleeve for this man, something I have been against for
such a long time. I have travelled thousands of miles from home to come and
visit him and I wonder if I have made a mistake. He attempts to make
conversation with me, but I can’t bring myself to properly speak to him so I
give him one word replies and I don’t offer anything more.

I
excuse myself from the table and head to the ladies room. Once I finish my
business I head to the stalls, I realise Melissa and Kathryn are standing at
the far end stalls. I don’t acknowledge them and continue to wash my hands
before touching up my makeup in the mirror.

“So
you’re Matthew’s new toy?” Kathryn remarks and I look at her trying to absorb
what she meant; I remember that Matt and I are on professional form this
evening so I shake my head.

“Matt
and I are nothing more than friends.”

Melissa
shakes her head. “Right, well, I am only saying this to help you out, woman to
woman, because you seem like a nice, innocent person. Stay away from Matthew
Jackson. He’s bad news.”

I
can’t hold back the laugh that escapes. “What, so you can have him all for
yourself?”

“Excuse
me?” She narrows her eyes at me.

“He’s
told me all about you, Melissa. He also told me he wasn’t interested in you and
that it is me that he wants, I’m the one he cares about.” I cross my arms and
wait for her reaction. She glances over to Kathryn who is glaring at me.

“You
don’t know him like I do.” She says. “He will fuck you – use you, till he
emotionally breaks you down. Then when he finds another woman he will toss you
to the side like you are some kind of trash and come back to me.”

I
study her face, her perfect features and overly done makeup. She has confirmed
all the doubts I had in my mind of Matt. The picture of the monster in my mind,
I shake my head as I remember the conversation I had with Kate. Matt may have
been a player in his time, but he is certainly not a reckless person.

“Didn’t
it ever cross your mind that maybe he tossed you to the side like you were
trash, because you actually are?” I shrug my shoulders and turn to walk away. I
catch a glimpse of her shocked face.

“He
always comes back to me, Casey!” She calls to me.

“Not
this time,” I grin as I turn and open the door to exit.

Once
I am back in the hallway I take a few moments to compose myself and thank my
inner bitch for saving me once again.

I
can see James speaking to a group of men next to our table. Grace is speaking
to a blonde woman and I can’t stop myself from thinking she is more than likely
one of Matt’s bimbo elite stand bys. I scan the crowd to find Matt and
eventually see him standing talking to a woman. He looks angered as he grabs
her arm and leads her out of sight. My stomach ties itself in knots. What the
hell am I even doing here? I don’t know anything about the man I’m with, even
though he says we are ‘together’.

When
tears threaten I decide that it’s probably best to get a drink, have a few
moments to pull myself back together, I remind myself I am here with business
partners and that I must act professional. I can’t be sloppy over a man. That’s
not who I am.

I
twist and turn throughout the tables and head across the edge of the dance
floor towards the bar.

Taking
a sip of my white and watch as a man approaches me. “Hello, I’m Daniel, I was
wondering if a beautiful woman, such as yourself, would like to share a dance
with me?” He is very well spoken. I quickly glance around the room; Matt is
nowhere to be found – probably with his woman or another. The nerve of him,
leaving me alone like this.

“Of
course.” I smile.

I
didn’t mind dancing with Daniel, he was handsome, light brown hair and blue
eyes, he was tall and athletic, but nothing compared to Matt. Still, I could
feel his strength in his arm which was wrapped around me.

Daniel
tells me a little about himself, he is working at his parent’s company Perylex
which they are planning on retiring from and signing over in his name. He tells
me that the company specialises in agency workers - Personal Assistants and
Publicists that they forward to celebrities, high flying business people, etc.
I wonder if he supplies Jackson Industries.

I
begin to tell him about myself, that I am over from the UK visiting business
partners. I avoid telling him that the partners are actually Jackson Industries
as from being here tonight I have realized how big of a deal they actually are.

“Excuse
me, Daniel. She’s here with me.”

Daniel
looks at Matt. “Mr Jackson. I apologize. I didn’t know she was yours.”

He
smiles at me before walking away and Matt steps in his place, wrapping his arms
around me the same way that Daniel’s were and I can feel the difference of the
men instantly. Matt is so much stronger and firm.

“I
leave you for, what; thirty minutes and you’re dancing with another man?” His
face hardened.

I
narrow my eyes at him. Two can play that game. “I leave you for, what; ten
minutes, and you disappear with another woman?”

The
corners of his mouth turn up in that sexy grin of his. I play my best poker
face.

“Who
was she?” I ask when he doesn’t reply.

“A
friend.” Is all he says.

The
song ends and we walk back to the table that is now crowded with people. The
first person I notice is Melissa sitting next to Grace. Her skin glowing under
the lights, I must admit, she is a stunning woman, somebody who I don’t think I
could ever compete with.

As
we near she stands. “Matt! Lovely to see you.” She kisses his cheek and looks
straight at me, I’m not the violent type, but I want to punch her.

“Melissa.”
Is all Matt says to acknowledge her before pulling a chair out for me to sit
and setting himself down beside me.

“We
need to talk, Matt.” Melissa says. “In private.”

“Well,
I’m a little busy at the moment.” Matt doesn’t make eye contact with her as he
speaks.

Dinner
is announced and Melissa stands to leave.

“Where
are you going?” Grace asks confused.

“I’m
going to my table for dinner.”

“Don’t
be so silly, eat with us!” Grace smiles. Obviously she is unaware of the
tension between us. Matt is avoiding Melissa, when she tries to speak to him he
pretends he can’t hear or gives her a one worded answer but the majority of the
time he has been speaking to other people around our table. I groan as she sits
back in place giving me a sly smile.